Paradisus La Perla Gabi Bridge Wedding – Emily and Ben

“We had never imagined ourselves having a big, traditional wedding so we decided on a destination wedding pretty quickly. By getting married in Mexico, we were able to have a small, close-knit group and extend the wedding from one day to a week long celebration. Our family and friends were able to really get to know each other and that meant a lot to us.” – Emily

“Walking around the resort and seeing my brother & his fiancé laughing in a palapa with Ben’s best friend from childhood and his wife, was a moment that made me realize how lucky were. We have amazing family & friends and having them all meet enjoy time with each other was so special to us.” #travelforlove

“We made a commitment to each other that we would keep each other in check (AKA, Ben would keep me in check) and we would not let the stress of wedding planning get in the way of what it was all about. We may have embraced this concept a little too much but thanks to our on-site wedding planner, Araceli, the wedding was everything we could have ever hoped for. Planning a wedding from afar is not easy, but Araceli was on top of every detail and put us at ease from the moment we arrived at Paradisus.”

“We love the vibe in Playa del Carmen. Paradisus really stood out to us as a resort that fit with our personalities. The Gabi bridge was the perfect place to get married. With the ocean as our backdrop, it doesn’t get much better than that!”

Emily: “Ben is always so amazing and thoughtful. He outdid himself by giving me a note and a necklace to wear during the ceremony. The necklace was perfect. In the card he wrote “The Ruby represents beauty and strength both of which manifest in you”. He’s always sweet but not sappy! The fact that he wrote something so sentimental on our wedding day was that much more special. The ruby is on the clasp of the necklace. I like that it’s tucked away, something so unique and special that no one else sees.”

Ben: “I already knew this, but as soon as I got the note from Emily, it really hit me that I was marrying the perfect person for me. She is going to love me for the rest of my life.”

“The most amazing moment of our day was walking into the Gazebo as husband and wife for the first time and seeing our closest friends and family there to celebrate with us. We could not have asked for a better experience.”

Emily: “Walking to the ceremony and down the aisle with my Dad was surreal. It was calm and quiet and I was able to take it all in. My Dad played a big part in teaching me how to love and be loved while embracing all of the ups and downs that come with such love. Having him walk me to the person that I’ll spend the rest of my life with was something I’d always dreamt of. The phtographer suggested we take a selfie and although we are not typically “selfie” people, I am so glad we did. It’s a moment in time that I will always remember.”

The photographers were FANTASTIC.  Neither of us like getting photos taken. Del Sol Photography and their team have a way of putting you at ease and making you feel natural. It was fun to watch them work, clearly they love what they do and that passion shines through their photos. We are so grateful to have had such talented artists document our big day.  Thank you Del Sol Photography”

If you are thinking about doing a destination wedding, go for it. We did not regret a single thing. Instead of just a day, we have a week full of memories that we will cherish forever.

Thanks so much to Emily and Ben for their wonderful words!  We love the (selfie moment) Emily shared with her dad so much that we added her testimonial to our post about Dads on the wedding day. We were also over the moon to get this beautiful testimonial from Emily after she received all her pictures:

Thank you so so much for these photos. We honestly can’t thank you enough. The photos are absolutely perfect. Having a destination wedding, I assumed we would be compromising on photo quality since we would not get to choose our photographer, until our resort told us we could use Del Sol. We feel very lucky to have these photos and to have worked with your team!

Destination Wedding Location: Paradisus La Perla Wedding – Gabi Bridge

Reception Location: Paradisus La Perla – Gazebo

Destination Wedding Coordinator: Araceli Arenas

Florist: Canteiro Weddings